Charles Darwin is often credited with the discovery of the theory of natural selection.

This is true, but it isn't totally true.

He didn't do it alone.

In particular, there was someone else who did much of the research that led to the discovery.

And in the process, this that led to the discovery.

And in the process, this other person made a discovery that bears his name and has influenced

the fields of both biology and geology.

Learn more about Alfred Russell Wallace and the Wallace Line on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Book your ticket to happiness with Sun Express Airlines. And Before I get into exactly what the Wallace line is I need to provide some backstory on who the Wallace line is. I need to provide some backstory on who the

Wallace line was named after and how it came about. Unless you happen to have

studied evolutionary biology, you probably haven't come across the name of

Alfred Russell Wallace, which is really a shame because he had a large part to play in the development of 19th century science.

Wallace was born in Wales in 1823, but he wasn't Welsh. His family was English and just had a short

stint in Wales where he happened to have been born. His family was middle class

but his family evidently lost a great deal of money. He initially studied to become a

surveyor so he could work for his

brother's surveying company but that went out of business. He put his skills to use as

a lecturer at collegiate school in Lester England where he taught drawing,

mapmaking, and surveying.

While in Lester he met a 19-year-old entomologist by the name of Henry Bates.

Bates introduced Wallace to collecting insects and biology in general.

Wallace went back to surveying, got hired as a civil engineer, and bounced

around to different jobs. All the while, however, he was devouring books about geology

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